Editing Kalakshetra Foundation (section)

== History==
{{Main|Rukmini Devi Arundale}}

[[File:Rukmini Devi.jpg|right|thumb|Rukmini Devi Arundale, founder of Kalakshetra]]
[[File:Secretary Clinton Visits a Music Classroom.jpg|thumb|left|A music classroom at Kalakshetra]]
Kalakshetra, later known as the Kalakshetra Foundation, was established by [[Rukmini Devi Arundale]], along with her husband, [[George Arundale]], a well-known [[theosophist]], in [[Adyar (Chennai)|Adyar]], Chennai, in 1936. She invited not only the best students but also noted teachers, musicians and artists to be a part of this institution.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tamilnation.org/hundredtamils/arundale.htm |title=Early years of Kalakshetra |website=tamilnation.org}}</ref> In 1944, the [[University of Madras]] granted its affiliation for conducting diploma courses in Music, Dance and Painting & Crafts.

Year-long celebrations, including lectures, seminars and festivals marked her 100th birth anniversary, on 29 February 2004, at Kalakshetra and elsewhere in many parts of the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=Another centenary celebration |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/27/stories/2003012700070300.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=27 January 2003 |access-date=6 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216084110/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/27/stories/2003012700070300.htm |archive-date=16 December 2008 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Also on 29 February, a photo exhibition on her life opened at the Lalit Kala Gallery in New Delhi, and President [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] released a photo-biography, written and compiled by [[Sunil Kothari]], with a foreword by former president [[Ramaswamy Venkataraman]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Her spirit still reigns |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2004/02/22/stories/2004022200380500.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103085459/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2004/02/22/stories/2004022200380500.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=3 January 2013 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=22 February 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Time to celebrate|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/27/stories/2003022700330100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040829172954/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/27/stories/2003022700330100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 August 2004 |work= [[The Hindu]]|date= 27 February 2003}}</ref><ref>[http://narthaki.com/info/reviews/rev158.html Centenary celebrations] nartaki.com</ref> In 2016, marking its 80th year, the Kalakshetra Foundation held a 'Remembering Rukmini Devi' festival of music and dance.<ref>{{cite web | title = Kalakshetra celebrates its 80th year |work= The Hindu | url = http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/kalakshetra-celebrates-its-80th-year/article8280926.ece | access-date = 2016-03-30 |date=25 February 2016| first = Radhika | last = Santhanam  }}</ref>